The Parent Letter

 Greetings!

I am your student’s Honors Language Arts 10 teacher, Ms. Leslie Leffers. I am reaching out to you today to inform you about the Quarter 3 Research Project that we will be working on for, well, the entire quarter. You may have heard your child talk about having to come up with a project idea or a topic for research. A lot of kids have been telling me they have been running ideas by their parents, which is awesome!

The Quarter 3 Research Project is an in-depth research venture intended to achieve multiple outcomes. By the end of the project, I want students to be able to:

·       Write documents in Modern Language Association (MLA) formatting

·       Compose a Works Cited page in MLA formatting

·       Be able to evaluate sources for research

·       Have a broader understanding of how to find information on a selected topic

·       Explore a topic of their choosing that they maybe have not had the opportunity to in the past

·       Create a project that demonstrates the cumulation of the knowledge gained through their research

·       Learn to grapple with what to do when there is not necessarily a “right” answer

·       Manage unstructured work time in order to complete tasks by given deadlines

·       Be more prepared for college-level research writing

·       Have a meaningful learning experience

This is the second year I have implemented the project. Last year, I was blown away with what students learned and how they chose to present their learning, so I have high hopes for this year!

Everything your child needs for the quarter is located in Schoology at this time. I have also recorded all of the assignments and their due dates for the quarter in Infinite Campus. I plan to complete the project right along with the students in order to offer examples of assessments. Please note that much of what students will do in class this quarter will involve unstructured work time.

The sky is the limit for research topics, truly. I want this to be an opportunity for students to dig deeper into something about which they are passionate or utilize the time given to try something new. I have attached a link to the Quarter 3 Syllabus for your consideration.

I will also be chronicling the quarter through a blog called “Leffers’ Lessons” that I will be utilizing as my final project for my MA in English through MSU Mankato. Check out https://lefferslessons.blogspot.com/ to see what we’ve been up to in class.

I am very excited for students to begin their research, and they seem excited, too! Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions you may have about the project and/or your child. I look forward to an excellent quarter!

Leslie Leffers

Language Arts Instructor